Meet Joel Miggler, a 22-year-old with a ‘disturbing’ addiction to flesh tunnels. He’s taken body piercings to a whole new level with a total of 11 flesh holes fitted with expanders on his face, including his nose and lips. Two of the largest holes are on his cheeks, each measuring 34 mm in diameter. And he soon plans to increase them to 40mm!

German-born Miggler now holds the Guinness World Record for ‘most flesh tunnels on face’. His obsession with body modification began at age 13, when he got his first ‘normal’ fleshy on his earlobe. Since then, he’s developed a taste for the process that he simply never got out of his system. “I’m very happy with my flesh tunnels, but I always want to get a new one,” he said.

Photo: Guinness World Records

Apart from the flesh tunnels, Miggler has a total of 27 piercings, six tattoos, an implant, and has had his buttock branded. He also has a forked tongue, which is is able to fit through both the holes in his cheek. He shows off his holes by sliding a string of strawberry lace from cheek to cheek and pulling it out through his mouth. He can also suck a lollipop through the sides of his mouth…

Photos: Joel Miggler/Facebook

Miggler admits that body modification is painful – he says he experiences a week of pain after each procedure, but as soon as it’s healed, he begins to think of the next one. He wants to increase the size of his cheek holes and even get an eyeball implant in the future.

Photo: Guinness World Records

Miggler says that his modified body hasn’t really affected his life all that much. Although he only takes “small bites” of food, he can eat pretty much anything he wants. His face mods also haven’t affected his social relationships very much either. He’s been dating an artist for the past few months, and he says people on the streets are quite kind and respectful. “When I walk around on the street, people only stare or sometimes ask me questions if they are interested in my jewellery. It is only on social networks that they mostly discriminate and offend me.”

Photo: Guinness World Records

“My mother likes most of my modifications and she has supported my decision to look the way I do but she doesn’t think the more extreme things, like my cheeks, are very beautiful,” he admitted.

“In the future, I want to stretch my face even more – to be the most unique person,” Joel said. “I just enjoy playing with my body.”